"I LIke Bread And Butter..."

Probably the easiest recipe I have ever made has been, believe-it-or-not, my very own butter. No, I did not sit out on the front porch with my bucket, wooden spoon, and bonnet slowly churning until my golden spread was ready to eat. Instead, I poured fresh cream from my farm fresh milk into the blender, turned it on for five minutes, and set the product (butter) on the table for supper. Super easy. Super good. Super real.

Wanna know the recipe? Click on Food Renegade.

Wanna know the amazing benefits of drinking farm fresh milk? Click on The Nourished Kitchen for a top 10 list.

Fun Friday

Hub's had a half day on Friday, so he took the Marta and met us down at the Aquarium, Centennial Olympic Park, and the Coco-Cola Factory. It was a fun day! So much fun, in fact, that I did almost nothing on Saturday trying to recover because I was so tired! Ha.

While we were waiting for Daddy to arrive, Hannah would run out into the field, stop, turn around and say, "Mommy, take a picture of me!".

Here's another...

... and another. I think it's so funny.

Before the factory, we needed a snack. We wnet to Johnny Rockets which had really good burgers and fries. The employees even did a dance for us. People walking by stopped and started dancing, too. I really felt like I was back in the '50's. Good times.

FYI, if your an active duty soldier, you get in free to the museum. If you're 2 or under, it's the same price. Soon, dependents will also have a discount on their ticket.

This polar bear cracked us up. His mouth moved and his eyes blinked. He was very realistic and Hannah was thoroughly intrigued by him.

Where I am from, every carbonated beverage is a "coke". At a restaurant, if you tell them you want a "coke" (meaning, a soda) they ask you, "what kind?". Fun fact: did you know that Coca-Cola makes over 63 different flavors of soda? And, the first one to be sipped was right here in Atlanta itself. At the end of the tour, you can try all 63 flavor varieties and take home your own bottle of coke that was filled in the factory during the factory tour. Even though I had maybe a half a glass of soda from the taste tests, I felt sick afterward from trying so many kinds! Hannah obviously loved it. And, we did get to have some Mezzo-mix and Bitter Lemon that are made only in Germany which is something that we miss. I think you're brave if you can make it through all 63 flavors!

Jump

We bought this trampoline from a friend this weekend.

Two words: LOVE. IT.

This little girl is being infused with energy out of nowhere

and jumps from room to room all day long...

What's Been Going On

Has it really been over a week since I've posted an entry? I've thought about it everyday, but haven't been able to sit down long enough to blog. It's been a busy week and I'm starting to slow down again, as much as I try to fight it. I don't rest very well. I usually like to blog at nap time, but these days a nap is like gold, and I can't function through the evening without one!

So, that being said, I'll try to post on a few happenings in the next day or so, but in the meantime I thought I'd just share what's been going on.

We currently have Grandpa and Mr. Homer here doing some plumbing, and Grandpa is giving me an oh, so needed break by playing with Hannah. She adores him.

Until tomorrow...

Roasted Veggie Lasagne

For The Love Of Cooking is one of my bloggie websites I like to peruse for yummy food to try. She has gorgeous pictures and tutorials which is a must for me since I am such a visual cooker. I made Roasted Veggie Lasagna last night and loved it. I've tried veggie lasagna's in the past, only to be very disappointed. Actually, I thought I would never try veggie lasagna again I was so disappointed. This, however, was full of veggies that weren't soggy (just right) and it had lots of flavor. The only changes I made was that I used whole milk ricotta and I cooked whole wheat noodles beforehand rather than using the no cook kind. This would be a great dish to have with company if you have vegetarians over or if you want to freeze individual portions for lunch sized meals.

*This picture is from For The Love Of Cooking.

Teaching 24/7 Resources- Pt. 2

Due to the reasons from my last post I categorized, in my mind, what I think of as traditional learning (geometry, colors, alphabet, even Montessori, etc.) from, for lack of a way better term, spiritual/moral learning. Please don't misread: these two types of learning definitely go together, especially as a child ages, but for now in my curriculum selection I've kept them separate mostly because there is nothing out there that combines them in the way I'd like to see them; so that I can be more in depth with each, not feeling like one is dominating the other. Therefore, I use Montessori for a very manipulative, methodical approach to learning a variety of subjects. I use Scripture, books, time, discipline, and milieu moments to teach worldview, shape my children's hearts, and to plant seeds knowing that God is the only one who can water. I pray that he makes His word become effective to change my child's heart to want to love Him and follow Him. That being said, here are some good resources I currently use and some I will use in the near future:

Parenting and approach to discipline: I kind of put these into three categories of good/really good/ and really, really good. BTW, I read all three of these for the first time before I had ANY children. It was so good to chew on all of this information before I had to put it into practice. Now, I read them at least once a year and thumb through them when I need encouragement to persevere or remind myself of things, which is why they are under my coffee table in the family room.

Good: Shepherding A Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp. I like this book because it's a really good introduction to Biblical parenting and discipline. It separates the book into two main sections: first, dealing with worldly methods and why they don't work. Secondly, it lays the foundation for a Biblical model and separates them into age categories.

Really Good: Don't Make Me Count To Three by Ginger Plowman. I like to think of this book as a very practical manual for the ideas presented in Shepherding A Child's Heart. Of course, that's a pretty blanket statement and there are some extra topics she covers, but it is more of a field-guide rather than simply philosophical method. Short, easy to read, very good. If you use it in connection with Wise Words For Moms, it will be even more practical and useful for understanding how to ask heart-probing questions and ready-to-use scripture verses.

Really, Really Good: Teach Them Diligently-How To Use The Scriptures In Child Training by Lou Priolo. Every time I read this I am convicted even more. One of the things Priolo says is that if you aren't using the Scriptures while you are disciplining and correcting, you aren't doing it Biblically. At first, this may seem like a strong statement, but upon reflection, I really agree. I am not the one who changes my child, it is God through His Word and if my child doesn't know what it says or if I am not using it, then how do they really know what God expects of them and why? It is not simply I who commands obedience from my children, it's God, and for good reason. Read this book. You don't really need anything else to train your children except for Scripture. Know how to use it.

I've been scouring every resource I can think of to find solid books for a toddler/post-toddler to be somewhat disappointed. I don't want to simply teach virtues or good morality, but I want my children to know God's Word and His Son, Jesus, in the context of what God has done in history culminating in the Gospel. There is a fundamental difference between the two. Here are a few resources I've found and some I have in the forefront of my mind to use in the near future when Hannah and subsequent children are ready.

One thing about this stage of development (2's-3's) is that children are actively starting to use their imagination and they have a desire for order in understanding how the world works. I love that both The Big Picture Story Bible and The Stories Jesus Told series put imaginative illustrative stories and parables together within a context of understanding Biblical truths.

What we are using now:

The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm

Hymns For A Child's Heart book and CD by Joni E. Tada

To Be Like Jesus CD by Sovereign Grace Ministries

Foundation Verses by Desiring God

Wise Words For Moms by Ginger Plowman

The Precious Pearl & The Little Gate by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen

The Prodigal Son Pamela Broughton

What I'd like to use soon or have soon in my collection:

Parents section of The Praise Factory

Sojourn Kids Resources

Polished Cornerstones and For Instruction In Righteousness by Doorposts.com

Toddler's ABC Bible Storybook by Carolyn Larson

The Princess and The Kiss by Jennie Bishop

I Can Say To God I Love You by MacKenzie and Stewart

My Thankful Heart by Sally Loyd-Jones and Jennings

Big Truths for Little Kids by the Hunt's

Scripture set to music for memorization

More Stories Jesus Told series by Butterworth & Inkpen (I think these are classics or out of print b/c they are expensive)

The Gospel For Children by Leuzarder

Jesus Is Coming Back/I Love My Bible! by Debbie Anderson

No More Whining! by Ginger Plowman

Anything by Lamplighter Publishing

I'll post more as I come across them. In the meantime, do you have any resources you'd like to share with me?

Teaching 24/7- Pt. 1

One of the reasons I have chosen to stay home with our children is the incredible teaching opportunities I get to have with them throughout the day. No one gets to spend as much time with them (well, soon-to-be them) as I do, so I feel my job as a mother is one of incredible influence. As well, the responsibilities to train, equip, and lead them so that they would ultimately know and love the Lord, to prepare them to someday live without us, all weigh heavy. Of course, I don't do this alone, as my husband is a tremendous part of this equation, but I am only speaking of my role. Therefore, I am thankful to say that I live this role out of calling and conviction, not out of mere economical choice or because being resigned to something lesser in life.

I don't know what our future educational choices will look like far down the road, but for now, I am committed to having them home until age six (we'll go from there) for a few reasons. First is the consistency and comfort that comes with being home with mom. Not everyone gets to do this, so I consider it an incredible privilege to savor the extra moments that will be gone soon (like watching them sleep) and the extra time that I don't have to rush around being on someone else's schedule (I get to set our schedule, yes!)

Second, is discipline and correction/teaching. Life's foundation of living as a person under authority (we are at whatever stage of life we are in) and understanding a worldview are being set right now. I feel like I am working with wet cement. Someday it will dry. And although it can be cracked and reformed, so to speak, now is the time to lay the groundwork for understanding who God is, who they are, and how all of those pieces work together. One of my favorite parenting books, Teach Them Diligently, talks about how we are to teach in the milieu, meaning teaching (the whole of Scripture) in the moment of life occurring, in our environment, with consistency and constancy all throughout our days. Of course, this is all in reference to Deuterononmy 6:5-9:

"5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

How am I to teach all that God has given me to share if I am never around my children or spending any time with them, intentionally or leisurely? While I do think that the saying "spending quality time with your children is important" holds some weight, what I really believe is that spending large amounts of time with your children is even more important, because of the opportunities to train and instruct that arise simply by living life with them.

Thirdly, for a whole host of reasons, being home gives me the chance to tailor traditional schooling to their needs or add what might be lacking in a regular setting. For instance, we can spend extra time on a subject, add a subject that is not taught, or go more in depth in worldview to explain things that we personally disagree with and want our children to be more informed.

I started this post simply to share some of my favorite resources that we use to help shape our parenting philosophy, and some toddler resources I have been using. In the midst of this I have ended up feeling the need to share what affects our decision making in regards to teaching and raising children, thus influencing our educational choices.

I'll be honest to say that I do think the ideal is that every mom would have the blessing and opportunity to stay home, at least for more of the time. I know that every family is different. This post is not meant to be condemning in nature or judgmental, but merely an explanation as to how our family is structured and why. I encourage you follow conviction's lead to do what you can and to not let life and opportunity pass you by; to be with your children as much as possible even if that comes at some kind of sacrifice (which, to some degree, it usually does). If you are now right where you are supposed to be in life, more power to you and I encourage you to continue!

Now, without further adieu, I'll post some resources in my next entry so you can read what I really intended to write about :) ....

Third Trimester- Already!

I can't believe I start my third trimester today. This pregnancy is flying by and it gives me what I like to call the "roller-coaster fear" when I think about it. You know, the sitting in the rollercoaster going, "oh, oh, oh, here it comes, here it comes.... ahhhhhhhhhhh" with your hands raised high all the day down. I'm super excited to see this little girl who now has eyelashes and hiccups all the time ;) We're painting her room pink this weekend (no, I will NEVER get sick of pink) and putting the final touches on getting things ready. Here's what she probably looks like. And, no, we don't have a name yet.

Jump 4 Joey!

Jump 4 Joey is super close to my house, is open 7 days a week, and has a military discount (among others on different days) on Monday's making our open jump $2- and I'm free!

This is a great way to spend a Monday.

Community Makeover

This weekend hubs and I were able to be apart of our church's/Atlanta's Community Makeover Project. This year we had over 30 churches doing various projects throughout the city such as landscaping and painting various schools. Last year, there were over 5,000 participants.

I helped to paint a mural inside of one of our elementary schools close to us. Hubby helped landscape the outside. I figured being almost 7 months pregnant, I should be holding a paintbrush instead of a shovel! I had a lot of fun! This is a mural of Charlotte's Web.

The almost finished product!